Motor-driven vehicle wheel



May 2, 1950 F. GLADISH MOTOR-DRIVEN VEHICLE WHEEL '2 Sheets-Sheet J.

Filed April 2, 1947 3nnentor Patented May 2, 1950 UNITED STATES i TENT OFFICE MOTOR-DRIVEN VEHICLE WHEEL Frank L. Gladish, Detroit, Mich., assignor of onehalf to Thomas F. Brady, Detroit, Mich.

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to vehicle wheels, and in particular to electric-motor-driven vehicle wheels.

One object of this invention is to provide an electric-motor-driven vehicle wheel which is suitable for automobile or airplane use and which contains a built-in alternating current motor which is energized from an alternating current generator driven by the vehicle engine.

Another object is to provide an electric-motordriven vehicle wheel having an annular stator containing windings and an alternating current rotor of the squirrel-cage type forming a part of the rotary wheel, which carries the usual rim and tire.

Another object is to provide an electric-motordriven vehicle wheel as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein the motor is so constructed as to be unharmed by water penetrating the motor, such as when the wheel passes through a puddle or traverses a ford in a stream.

Another object is to provide an electric-motordriven vehicle wheel as set forth in the preceding objects wherein the rotor is mounted outside the stator and in turn has the tire rim mounted on its own periphery.

Another object is to provide an electric-motordriven vehicle wheel, as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein the stator is prewound on a tubular holder or sleeve with flanged edges and is thereafter slipped over a stationary part of the wheel.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section of an electric-motor-driven vehicle wheel, according to a preferred form of the invention, the tire being omitted; and

Figure 2 is a central vertical section along the line 22 in Figure l, with portions of the tire indicated by chain lines.

In general, the invention consists of a vehicle wheel having a self-contained alternating current electric motor of the squirrel-cage type, having a rim on the outside of the rotor upon which a vehicle tire is mounted. The motor is supplied with current from an alternating current generator which in turn is driven by a prime mover such as the engine of the vehicle. The generator may be of any suitable type and its details are beyond the scope of the present application.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1 and 2 show a vehicle axle H], such as the front axle of an automobile, the axle It being of I- beam cross-section and having transverse bosses H at the opposite ends thereof. The bosses H are provided with transverse bores l2 containing king-pins [3 in the form of pivot bolts having lock nuts M on the ends thereof. Pivotally mounted upon the king-pins or pivot bolts l3 are the arms l5 and I6 of a bracket ll, the foregoing assembly forming a steering knuckle, generally designated it. The upper arm [5 on the opposite side of the king-pin it is extended to form a steering arm H! which. is connected to the steering wheel of the car through any suitable conventional mechanism.

The bracket ll has a plate-like base 28 to which the disc-like stator and wheel support 2! is secured, as by the bolts 22. The support-2t is dished inwardly from the boss II and at its central portion is provided with the outwardly-pro jecting axle 23. The periphery of the support 2! is provided with an axially-projecting drum portion 2 3 (Figure 2) extending entirely across the wheel and terminating in an outwardly-curved flange 25 of arcuate cross-section and having an annular recess 26 therein. The drum portion 24 has a cylindrical outer surface 2? terminating in an annular shoulder 28.

Mounted upon the surface 21 of the drum portion 24 is a stator unit 29 held in place by a ring 39 bolted as at 3i to the face of the support 2!. The ring 36 is provided with concentric flanges 32 and 33 extending axially partway across the wheel and serving to retain the-stator unit 29 in assembly. Projecting from the ring, 30 is a boss 34 having a bore 35 through which a cable 36 passes into an internal recess 37, the cable 36 containing individual wires 88 leading to the various windings or coils 39 of thestator 29. The cable 36 is connected to an alternating current generator (not shown) which in turn is driven by a prime mover such as the engine of the vehicle (not shown).

The stator unit 29 is mounted upon a sleeve 49 which is slid over the surface El of the drum portion 2 3, the opposite edges being flanged as at M to retain the various parts of the stator unit 29 in assembly. The stator unit 29 contains an assembly 42 of annular laminated plates :33 of magnetizable material such as iron, these being preferably formed as stampings with radial slots Ml aligned axially around the periphery of the assembly t2, the plates 43 being held in assembly by retaining rings 45 abutting the flanged portions-M.

The windings 39 are in roughly annular form, looped between slots 44 at intervals around the periphery depending upon the number of poles of the motor. For example, in an eight-pole motor, the windings 39 would be looped between slots 44 which are 4-5 degrees apart around the periphery. Thus, each slot 44 contains the halves of two separate windings 39, one being superimposed upon the other and separated from one another by insulating strips lli. The windings 39 are held in position in the slots 44 by retaining strips 67 (Figure 1) with beveled edges fitting into dovetail slots 48. Insulating layers t9 surround each pair of coil or winding portions 39 in each slot 44 in order to insulate the windings from the plates 43. The coils 39 at their ends extend into the annular recess 26 and a recess 50 between the flanges 32 and'33, and are'held in position by a sealing material The plates 43 are held together by rivets 52 (Figure 1).

The axle 23 is provided with portions 53 and 54 for receiving the inner races'of anti-friction bearings 55 and 56 respectively, the outer races of which are mounted in annular-recesses??? and 58 in the flanged portions 59 andtfior" the wheel 6|. The assembly is held in position by a washer B2 and nut 63 threaded upon the outer end 84' of the axle 23. A hub cap 65 is also threaded upon the outer portionof the flange (it.

The wheelJ6lis providedwith a brake drum portion 66 (FigureZ), the inner surface of which is engaged by the lining t! of a brake band 68. The latter is conventional andis operated by conventional mechanism, such as hydraulic mechanism, and its details form no part of the present invention.

Bolted as at 69 to the wheel 5! is. the flanged portion H! of. a rim 7 l, forming apart of therotor 72. The rim H is provided with an annular shoulder 14 for receiving'a wheel disc '15 of any suitable type. The rim H is also provided with an outwardly: curved annular portion F6 surrounding the flanged portion of the stator 2.) and spaced therefrom by a gap. The outer portion of the rim H is provided with a. drum portion or felly. 71 which is engaged by a retaining ring I8 (Figure 2), theparts being held in assembly by the fasteners I9. The rim H, drum 'il and retainingv ring 18 in assemblyform .an inwardlyfacingi-annular recess 81 containing an assembly BI of. laminated plates 82, these being held in position by retaining'rings 83; The-laminated plates 82 'are'piercedatintervals around the periphery to receive the bars 84 forming the squirrel-cage elements of the induction motor. These bars are preferably of copper and are shortcircuited: at their'ends' by: the plates-or rings 83 sothat they formia complete circuitin themselves. The laminated plates. 32 and retaining rings 83 are providedwith aligned slots. 85 '(Figure 1) atintervals around the periphery-and com municating with elongatedportsfit aligned there+ with for ventilation purposes. The ports deserve to: carry away a portionof theheat generated during operation. The rim H is providedfwith the outwardly bent'portions- 81 for receiving and engaging: the beadof'an ordinary tire casing 88-.

In operation, electricity is supplied to the conductors ss-within the cable 35 from a generator driven'by'the engine of the car, thereby energi ing the coils 39. Due to their being looped between slots spaced at intervals around the periphery dependingupon the number. of" poles of thesmotor, the portion of the coil 39 in one slot 44 will be opposite a north pole and in the other slotiwillbe opposite a south pole, thereby'providingz-acomplete electro-magnetic: circuit'which results inratorque andzconsequent rotation of the rotori121relatively to the stator 29,. in accordan'ce with the performance characteristics oialternating current induction motors of the squirrehcage type; This in turn propelsthe vehicletby rotatinga'the; tires 88; Thus, the vehicle is driven through an infinitely'variablerange of: speeds by reasonof the electro-magnetic drive thus pro.- videdx. The vehicle-may be driven through puddles-or streamswithout injury, since the coils tor also 39 are completely sealed by the sealing material 5! and are therefore in no danger of being shortcircuited. The water entering the space between the stator 29 and rotor72is easily expelled when the vehicle again reaches dry ground and has no adverse effect upon the operation of the rotor 72. The stator 29, being pro-wound on its sleeve 40 and afterward slid into position upon the outer surface 21 of the drum portion 24, is easily replaced and repaired. While a front wheel unit has been described and illustrated, it will be evident that a substantially similar construction applies to the rear wheels, as the hub portions of each wheel are in themselves conventional. In the rear wheels, the bosses ll, king-pins l3 and arms 15, i6 and I9 will, of course, be omitted and replaced'by the'usual rear axle structure. It will also be seen that the present invention provides an individual drive-for each wheel of the vehicle, thereby providing not only a great flexibility without mechanical complexity, but also enabling the individual wheels to be supported by individual spring suspension of conventional types.

What Iclaim is:

1. An electric motor wheel for vehicles comprising a stationary'wheelsupport having an axle associated therewith, a' wheel frame rotatably mounted on saidaxle, and an electric motor including a stator secured to said support and a rotor secured to said frame, said frame having an axially-extending tire-receiving rim thereon, said support having a drum portion and said stator having a sleeve member portion removably and slidably mounted on said drumportion.

2. An electric motor wheel for vehicles comprising a stationary wheel support having an axle associated therewith, a wheel framerotatably mounted on said axle, and'an' electric motor including a stator secured to said support and a rotor secured to said frame, said frame having an axially-extending tire-receiving rim thereon, said support having a drum portion and said stator having a sleeve member portionremovably and slidably mounted on said drum portion; said staincluding laminated stator plates mounted on said'sleeve portion and stator Wind'- ings mounted on said plates.

3. An electric motor wheel'for vehicles com prising a stationary wheel supporthaving an axle associated therewith, a wheel frame rotatably mounted on said axle, and an electric motor including a stator secured to said support and a rotor secured to said frame, said frame having an axially-extending tire-receiving rim thereon", said support having a drum portion and said stator having a sleeve member portion removably and slidably mounted on said drum portion, said stator also including peripherally-recessed laminated stator plates mounted in said recesses on said sleeve portion and stator windings mounted on said plates. H I

FRANK L. GLADISH.

BEFERENCES CITED The following references are or record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 703,649 Gill July 1, 1902 1,270,420 King'sbury s June 25, 1918 1,577,304 Schurch Mar. 16, 1926 1,652,492 Naul Dec. 13, 1927 

